Clutch.



L. E. GLMBNCBT. j

CLUTCH.

APPLICATION FILED PEB. Z5, 1908.

FigAf.

i w/m/fssfs ffmw@ Arm/7mm;

Patented May 6, 1913.

l l1 SHEETS-BHEBT 3.

L. E. GLMENGBT.

CLUTCH.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 25, 1908.

Patented May 6, 1913.

11 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

WHA/5555 ZIM @Y L. E. GLMBNGET.

` o8' Patented May 6, 1913. h

11 SHEETS-SHEET 4f L. E. GLMBNGBT.

CLUTCH.

APPLICATION FILED PEB. 25, 1903.

PatelltedvMay 6, 1913.

11 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

llllllll Il L. E. GLBMBNGBT.

CLUTCH.

'APPLICATION FILED FEB. 25, 1908.

1,061,048. Patented May 6, 1913.

11 SHEETS-SHEET 6.

m MM

CL'UTGH.

MPLIUATION FILED 11:13.25, 1908.

Patented May 6, 1913.

11 SHEETS-SHEET l0.

.Emi

' iff/nanfa: fw@ f? L. E. CLMENCET.

GLUTGH'.

APPLIGATION FILED FEB. 25, 1908.

` Pazenised May 6, 1913.

11 SHEETS-SHEET 11.

I /NVENT 7 ab i2/amai EN l balls decreased in diameter or if the slide blocks decreased in thickness., The whole ofthe device, is therefore, properly driven. Necessary conditions for driving-If we consider the Veffect produced on the part G in the present position of the rollers, it will `the part G will have the tendency to move in the same direction .as the part F, but will not be acted upon as long as the tangent of the angle o `formed by the lines'm-and n will remain lessthan the coefficient of friction, which can'be easily brought about. To that coefficient is then added the eifort required for rotating the part G on the spindle R. The tangent of the angle q1 represents, therefore, `in fact the coefficient of friction plus the coefficient representing, in the same terms, the edort which would be required for rotating the Ypart G as hereinbefore described. `Where balls or rollers are used, they have the tendency to rotate about theirown axis in a directionopposite to that of the part F and consequently to rotate the part G in the direction opposite to that produced by the pressure. The angle q can then be increased. The rollers, balls or'slide blocks, as will be seenlater on, can occupy `in the groove any desired position; it is sufficient, for obtaining the driving, to design cams which comply at every point with the condition just stated. It goes without saying that by rotating the part F in the oposite direction, the same thing will happen. If the part H 1s rotated in any desired direction, it will drive by friction the part G: the rollers, balls or slide yblocks will be, as before, compressed between the two cams, and the part F will be driven as well as the part G., All possible combinations be- 'tlv'leen the parts F, G andH produce driving.

e the spindle could also 'be mounted on a second spindle transmitting movement.

Shape of the cam-The shape of the cam in the oove is immaterial, provided that the con ition for driving hereinbefore speciied, be complied with. Nevertheless, in the case of disengagement, which will be considered later on, it is necessary that the groove should be everywhere of the same width.

The shape of and the method of attaching the rollers, balls or slide blocka-It is not necessary that the rollers, vvballs or slide blocks should slide or roll in recesses of a rim of the part H. The slide blocks can have any desired shape. The rollers, balls or slide blocks can be secured to the part H in any desired manner, it is necessary and Sufficient that they should be capable of slidor receiving part F instead of kbeing ,mounted onI v iR Ying to a suitable extent.

ing or lrolling in the groove. between the two cams, and of moving farther away from, or coming nearer to, the center of rotation to the necessary extent. This latter condition is indispensable for the disengagement.

Fig. -.vertical cross-section, Fig. 6- vertical longitudinal section, and Fig. 7 partial 'ho'rizontal section-show rollers and slide blocks of different shapes and methods of mounting. It will be understood that the several forms of coupling members shown in Fig. 5 are shown in one figure merely for convenience of illustration, and that they are, not, in practice, used together in the same clutch.

In the arrangement 'of eccentric-shaped pins 6,7, 8 and 9 connect the parts 1", 2a,

3, and 4, to the part H5 by means of small connectin rods 9 and 10, or direct by means of the sli e blocks (slide blocks 23 and 4a). The pins 1,1 and 1:2 connect t-he roller 1u and the slide block 3EL to the connecting rods 9 and 10.' The throwing out of gear or disengagement stop secured :to the cam G is marked I5. J5 is the disenga ement stop secured to the cam F5. The rollers, halls or slide' blocks canv be replaced Iby a flexible but not compressible part (ring or portion of a ring) or by a chain constituted by any de sired number of slide blocks (Fig. 27). The

ring -or portion of a ringis compressible I with slide blocks multiplied to csuch an ex' tent as to form one single part. The parts, ring or chains, are connected to the part H, so as to be capable of oscillating and of mov- Number of rollers, halls or sli/lc blocks. The number of rollers, balls or slide blocks is also immaterial. .It has been seen, however, that the parts 2 and 3, did not participate in the working. In a cam with equal and repeated curves, such as that shown in Figs. 1 and' 2, the position of the rim, and consequently of the parts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, relatively to the curve, determines which of the latter will come into engagement. l If, however, the parts l., 2, 3, 4, 5, were arranged so as to enable them to be in special position of the rim, all tangent to the portion which is the farthest away from the center place (assuming always that the movement 1s communicated by the cam F).` In order to avoid this dead center, it is sufiicient, in a groove with equal and repeated curves, to

1.25 of the inner cam F, no driving would take v at distances equal to'each other, but not"` equal to the length of the repeated curves of the cani, `or to one of the multiples of the said length. If the groove consists of repeated curves, but of unequal length, it will,

vbe suiiicient to place the rollers, balls or slide blocks in such manner that at a given moment they should not all come to lie at once at the upper points of thel curves of the driving part. 1

Disengagement in one direction-If we consider a groove of uniform width throughout and forming a closed curve, that is to say, that formed by the two parts' F and G, one of which has in relief what the other has in recess and viceversa, and if the part G is provided with a stop I engaging wit-h the stop J of the part F, the said stops arranged in such manner'that the two parts G and F when in engagement leave between them a closed groove of uniform width throughout (Figs. 1-4) by rotating the part F in the direction of the arrow f, the stop J of the prart F will have the tendency to move away om the stop I, and the Whole will be driven. If, on the other hand, the rim H has the tendency to rotate in the same direction and faster than the art F, it will drive the part G, since the ro 1ers, balls lor slide blocks' are in engagement and compressed. The stop I will strike the stop J, at`that 4 0 moment the groove will again become of uniformA width throughout and will remain l there. The rollers, balls or slide blockswill be able freely to roll or slide in the groove and will be driven in the direction of the arrow f bythe part H which will, therefore,

be free to continue its movement, the parts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, simply moving in their respec tive recesses along the lines d e and e d,

that is to say, alternately movingl away from, and coming nearer to, the center of rotation. They will follow the path a, q..

The parts F and G, not being driven by the Q part H in that direction, can even stand still. They can also rotate in the direction. opposite to that Aof the part H. The same state of things will obtain if the part G or the part ,H is given a movement 1n the direction oppositeto that indicated by the arrow f. Y

V The direction and .the combination of movement depend on the direction in which 86 been said in the paragraph relating to thev number of the rollers, balls or slide blocks, is therefore, also apphcable to this arrange` ment. l

It has been seen that the shape of the groove was any desired; for the disengagement, it is necessary that it should be of uni form width throughout, I and J being in engagement. For a continuous movement, whether circular or any other, it is necessary that the said groove should form a closed iourve (in fact, it is impossible to imagine a continuous. rectilinear movement). The cams can, therefore, be elliptical (similar elhpsesffor the disengagement), two inflections such as shown in the arrangement illustrated in Fig. 8-vertical cross-section where three equidistant rollers are sulficient for driving, or in eccentrcs one inflection such as in the' construction shownl in Fig. 9-vertical cross-section-where two rollers are suiiicient for driving. In the latter construction," the cams are constituted by two cylindrical parts having the same eccentrioity o04 010,A the centers of rotation of which coincide at 09. In this case, disengagement is possible.

Fig. 10 shows a ball construction, the balls rolling -in the grooves of the lparts F10- andvGl". Optional engagementy and 'disengagement.-As already stated, the ldirection of the disengagement-depends on `the direction` in which the stops are, arranged, It is obvious that one of the said stops, or even both,

1. The engagement in both directions, one

of the stops I or J, or both, being Withdrawn, so 4that they should not come into engagement. t

I2. The engagement in one direction, 'and the disengagement in the other, the stops I or J being in place.

- 3. B providing'one of the parts, for instance with a second, also removable stop,

which is arranged at the vother side of the should not-enter into engagement. The disstopl (I resting already'against J1), it' will engagement in both directions-will be ob-- tained. with these stops in place.

4. By moving the stops J and second stop together .or separatel 1t will be possible to obtain vall the possib e Icombinations of engagement and disengagement.

It is obvious that, `instead of providing the part F with a second stop, the part (r could be provided with a second stop. The-stops J I and lits second stop, or I and its second stop, could form one single part having the shape of afork.

'the center of rotation.

Another arrangement 0j cama- It isnot necessary that the curves forming the cam groove, should come more or less nearer to The said groove could be arranged as shown in Fig. 1l in vertical longitudinal section and in Fig.- 12 in vertical cross-section.

The part F loose on the spindle R, presents any surface b b. The part G loose on the spindle R, shows in recess what the part F shows in projection, and viceversa (surfaces c` 0). These two parts, held by stop rings S so as to leave between them a space forming a cam groove in which the balls, rollers or slide blocks can oscillate along the lines d e and e al.

In Figs. 11 and l2, H is the part 'secured to the spindle R to be driven. 11, 211, 311, 4d, 511, are the balls, rollers or slide blocks, and I and J thestops for the disengagement.

What has been said with reference to the general arrangement and to the disengagement in one direction, is applicable to this arrangement, the rollers, balls or slide blocks not being acted upon when moving away from, or nearer to, the center of rota tion, but in the `directions J c, and e d and following, in the case of the disengagement, the path a a. This arrangement offers, therefore'al'l combinations of ymovement previously indicated. The shape of the slide blocks and theirsystem of attach-` `ment are always immaterial as long' as they can move in order. to follow the path all all. K v/ y y Figs. 11 and 1.2 show balls, but itl goes without saying that they can be replaced by rollers or slideblocks ofl any kind. 'Ihe rollers, balls or slide blocks can be replaced by any desired parts placed in the grooveand secured to the spindle 'to be driven or transmitting the movement.` so that they can oscillate or move along e d and d e following the path a a.

Fig. 13 shows in vertical -longitudinalsec tion a slide Vblock K13 which has a hub D12, keyed to the spindle R18 and itting loosely thereon so that the block yis capable of sliding slightly along the lines 111612 or lof rocking along the lines Z130 e110 and e110 du". The cam surfaces in this constructionare formed in the faces of themembers F12 and G1B and their variable contours are obtainedV by inclining them to the axis of the clutch, so that they l`tend, when differentially rotated, to

pinch the slide-block K1a between them.

85 method of attachment of the rollers, balls or slide blocks, they can be replaced by a. ring, portion of a ring or a flexible part or by a chain formed by slide blocks.

As before, the shape of the groove can be any desired, rovided as already explained that the condition necessary to the driving and mentioned in the beginning of this specification, is complied with, and provided that for the automatic disengagement, the groove constituted should be of uniform width throughout, the stops I and being in engagement, that is to say,oneV of the cams must have in recess what the other one has in projection, and vice-versa.

One of the simplest constructions consists in obtaining the groove by means of the two parts F and G having, facing each other,

planes at an equal'angle to the axis of the Fig. 14:(lngitudinal section) and Fig. 15

(cross-section) means of which rectilinear movement can be obtained. In the said figures, F21 indicates the part giving the movement, sliding in the part H21 to be driven and provided with a face b21 b21 b21 the shape of-.a cam. H21 is the part to be driven which slides in the part M21 and carries balls, rollers or slide blocks 1, 2", 3, (which can move in the part' H21 along .the lines 21 @21 or @21 21). G21 is the' part freely sliding in the part H21 and having a camv shaped face 021 021. M21 indicates anystationary part serving as a show a construction by ide.v If the same reasoning as before` is followed, it will be obvious that by impart' ing any desired movement to the part F21, the part'H21 and also the part G21, will be driven. The movement can also be imparted by anyof the parts G21, H21, or F21.

- stops I21 and J21, engagement and disengagement in both directions can be obtained. It

is obvious moreover 'that the. movement of thepart H21 as well as F21 and G21 instead of being rectilinear canfollow any' desired line. Further, it is not necessary that F21 and G21 should slide, in the part H21. Itis sufficient that duringtheir movement, the

5 Finally, the shape of the cam can be any desired, lprovided that the condition of driving is complied with. For the disengagement, it is necessary that the groove should be of the same Width throughout, the stops vand G23 can, therefore, have Hat faces (L22 a222 and Z222 11222 inclined relatively to the direction of their movement, as shown in Fig. 16 in longitudinal section and in Fig. 17 in longitudinal section, the part F22 being removed.

Special arrangement for cams 0f eccentric shape-When eccentrics are used, the exible ring or portion of ring, Ior chain can be replaced by a rigid rim K22 (Fig.` 18, crosssection, and Fig. 19, longitudinal sect-ion) connected at one of its points c25 to the part` H25, the said ring being moreover capable at the point in question, of moving away from, and of coming nearer to, the center of rotation to a minimum extent of 2 025 025 and at the same time of oscillating to a minimum extent of 2 q: about the point 025.

Fig. 20 (cross section) shows one of the numerous constructions which enable the preceding to be carried out. The coupling ring is provided with a nipple K212 engaging with the fork of the part H27.

In Figs. 22 and 23 F22 indicates the part having an inclined plane a22 022 and mounted loose on the spindle R22. G22 is a similar part provided with an also inclined plane 022 Z22 (this part is also loose on the spindle R22). H22 isa fiat washer with parallel faces,keyed to the spindle R22 (for instance, in one or more points by means of one or more grooves U22 made in the washer H22 and engaging with the keys T22 arranged for the purposek and secured to the spindle R22) but capable of oscillating on the latter to the minimum extent of'l22 n2 equal to 2 cp (m22 022 at a right angle to .9122 8122; w22 022 is the axis of H22.) 'IF22 is rotated in'any direction, for instance that indicated by the arrow f22, the faces a22 Z122 and 022 Z22 will have the tendency to come out of the parallel (the point 622 having the tendency to come into 0222 etc.), the washer H22 will be pushed in accordance with the effective resultant 122 (since the washer H22 cannot rotate on the spindle R22.)

As has been explained in the beglnnlng of this speciication the engagement will last as long as the tangent of the angle cp wlll re- 0 main less than the coefficient of friction with the addition specified. The same thing will happen when the movement is communicatedby the part H22 or G22. By (provlding the part F22 with the stop J 22, an 5 G22 with the stop 122, the disengagement 1n being in engagement. The two parts, F 22' the part" the direction of the arrow will be obtained l (the part H22 rotating for instance quicker' than the part F22). The movement being transmitted by the part F22, for instance in the direction ofthe arrow f2", the stop J2 of the part F22 has the tendency to move away from the stop I2 of the part G22, and the engagement will take place. If the part R22, and consequently the washer H22, come to rotate more quickly in the same direction, the part G22 will also rotate more quickly.

'The stop 122 will come to rest against the stop J 22 thus restablishing arallel position of the faces. The washer 22 can continue freelyI its movement by oscillating about the spindle 8122 3122 to the extent of Z22 m22.. The part F22 can, therefore, remain stationary, and even rotate inthe opposite direction, because it becomes disengaged from the washer H22 in the direction opposite to that of the arrow f22, with the given position of the stops. Obviouslythe same thing happens if the spindle R22 or the part H22 are given a movement in the direction opposite to that indicated` by the arrow. The direction and the combination of movement depend always on .the direction in which the stops are placed. The movement can be imparted by the part G22. The part H22 can be lixed in any desired manner to the s indle R22. It is suticient that it shoul be able to oscillate to the extentl22 n.22. It is not necessary that the part F21 should be loose on the spindle R21. The said part could be keyed to a second spindle R212 (or be in one piece with R212) in line with the spindle R21, the parts F21 and G21 being held at a fixed distance (Fig. 24, longitudinal section). The spindle R212 can be the driving or the driven one. In the cells or recesses of the part H22 could be arranged rollers, balls or slide blocks rolling or sliding on the planes a 622 022 22 or in suitable grooves (Fig. 25,'longitudinal |section, and Fig. 26, half cross'fsectlon). The movement is assumed to be communicated by the part G22 in thedirection of the arrow 72.22. The 4spindle R22 is stationary and forms the axis, and the sleeve M22 loose on the s indle R22, receives themovement. The ro 1ers, balls or slide blocks no longer move relatively to the part H22, but on the contrary it is the latter which moves.

The part H22 (Figs. 22 and 23) bein subjected only to crushing strains and eing placed edgewise for the engagement, can be very thin. A wider hub penetrating into the recesses made in the arts F22 and G22, enables the attachment to e eiected by keying or in somefother way.

Special arrangement for any cams with flat fatwa- Like the eccentric cams and the cams with inclined planesginy cams with .fiat faces can be used for",special arrange.-

ments. The rollers, balls, slide blocks, chain or flexible part could be replaced in this case by a rigid part sliding between the two planes and secured to the driving or the driven part,vso that it 'can move along the lines Z22 e22 and c222-(Z22. Figs, 16 and' 17 show a construction of the above kind. The movement of the parts F22 and G22 is shown rectilinear, but it could be any desired.r In this arran ement 'the part'F23 can move 10 along the ines 622 622 and h22 h2? 'and is provided with a face L22 e220 inclined rela.- tively tobi-2 k22". The'part G2a can move along the lines @'22 22 and 22 23 parallel to 622 h2 and is also provided with an inclined face 622 622 (this latter'condition being es-l sential for the disengagement).- On the other hand, the slide part K22 ywith arallel `faces, connected at K22 to the part 22 to be driven, can move in the part' H22 along the lines Z22 e222 and e22 d22. The same reasoning applies as for the construction withinclined planes previously described. ',If the part F22 `is given a movement in the direction of the arrow f22, the point Z22 having 25 the tendency to arrive at Z22", the part K22 ispressed in the direction of the effective resultant m22 and comesto rest against the part G22, but as the part G23 cannot move in that direction, K22 Iwill be driven in the direction of the part F22. The part G23 will also be driven in 'that direction. By giving V to the part G22 a movement in the direction opposite to that o'f the arrow f2s, the whole device will be driven. The parts will be also in ear orin engagement as long as the conditlon necessary for driving, specified in the beginning of-this description, is complied with (tangent of the angle p smaller than the coeiicient of friction increased as already 40 stated-JnI o normal to 6 6'). The position illustrated drives only in one direction. By giving respectively to the parts F28 and G22 the movement in the opposite direction to those above mentioned,'no driving will take place, the distance comprised vbetween thev surfaces L22 e220 and 622 6230 increasing. By giving to the part K22 the movement indi.- cated by thexarrow, the part G2a will be driven in the same direction. The driving '50 ofthe part F22 takes place in the direction opposite to that of theA arrow f2s, if the part K22 is given a movement in the direction opposite to that of the arrow f2s. By roviding the part F23 with the stop J22, and the part G22 with the stop I22, disengagement is obtained in one direction. In the osition indicated, the part K2s being driven, becomes disengaged from the art X22 `which is the driving part, in the direction of the arrow f, in the event of the part K23 moving in that direction more quickly than the art F22. The part F 23 can, therefore, move in the direction opposite to that of the arrow f22 without driving the part K22. These arrangements of cams-are given merely by 'tively to the space or to any way ofexample, and it is obvious that they could vary a'd A Free 'wheel clutches and the Pika-The clutch with disengadement in one direction can make an excellent free wheel clutch. 7o If we take again any of the constructions, for instance that shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4, and assume the part'F tobe fixed relaart, all the other arrangements remaining t e same, the splndle and consequently the part H'will be free to rotate in the direction of the arrow f. The stop I of the part G comes in fact against the stopy J of the part F, forming a groove of uniform width in which 'can move 80 A rollers, balls or slide blocks. If the part H has the tendency to go back, the part G will follow the same movement, being `driven by the friction on the spindle R and the rollers, balls or slide blocks which enter into engagement, and the part is at once coupled to the part F. But as the part F is stationv ary, it follows that the part Hcannot go back. This construction can, therefore, re-` place the existing free wheel clutches and the like, with the advantage that it makes possible instantaneous sto page and in any desired position. The part can be Stationary, and the part F lloose (the spindle R cannot 'move in the direction of the arrow with the stops in the position' shown). The part I-I canl be stationary, G loose or to be coupled, F loose or to be coupled. The part F can be in one piece with, or keyed to, the spindle R which rotates in the part H which is stat-ionary, the part G. being mounted loose' on the part H (for instance on its'extended sleeve; the said part I-I can form the bearing for the spindle). In the position occupied in the drawing by the stops I and J, the part F can then freely rotate -in the direction opposite to that of the arrow, but cannot rotate in the direction of the said arrow. In order to obtain this backward vrotation it is sutlicient `to keep, by means of an adjustable tappet, the stop I in engagement with the stop J. As long as the said stops are in engagement, complete disengagement will be obtained. As soon as the tappet is removed, the stops -I and J will have the tendency to move apart, and the stopping will take place. It will also be sufiicient to give to the part G which is loose, by any desired means, a movement in the direction of the arrow f, so as to bring thepart I against the stop J, and the disengagement of the partv H from the parts F an G is obtained. By releasing the part G the stopping takes place. In order to obtain backward rotation if desired, without any risk of racin let it be, assumed that the part His stationary, the partF to be coupled, t-he part G loose; the part F engages, that is to say, it cannot rotate in the direction of the arrow f. If it is desired to more the part F in that di- 130 ioo ' "nuancesmentfrom the part H is obtained without .at Vthe same time the part F being able to rota-te quicker thanl the part G or to drive the same, for .the stop J would at once have the tendencyto move away lfrom thestopfI, and there would take place the engagement with the partH. The part F can, therefore, only` follow the movement given to the part G without driving it or rotating faster. The same happens if it is desired to engage the part. G. All the previousl described constructions of clutch can app y to this combination formingv a free wheel.,

Clutch. engaging n onedrecz'on and disengagz'ng'in both directz'om..-Let us take again any one of the constructions, for instance that shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4:. It has been seen in the beginning of this description when it was question of disengagev ment in one direction, that supposing that the movement is given in the direction of the arrow fby the part F, the part H, and consequently the spindle R, will be driven in the same direct-ion, .but if the spindle R, were to rotate quicker inthe same direction, the stop I would strike the stop J and the balls,y rollers or slide blocks would be able to move freely between the parts G and F, so -that the latter wouldnot be driven. If, for any reason, the part H rot-ates backward, the part G will rotate back with it. 'lhe stops I and J will have the tendencyT to fnove apart, so that the part F will thus be brought back; In order'to have disengagement also in that direction, it is sufficient to prevent-the part G from following the backward movement of the part H` (nevertheless, thepart G canbe left the possibility of moving forward) by means either of a pawl device-.or of a device fulfilling'the same object, or by means of a second Y clutch forming a free wheel clutch, as described in the paragraph'relating to free wheel clutches and the like. The stop J of the part F will then come against the stop I of the part G, and the rollers, balls or slide blocks will also be able to circulate freely in the direction opposite to that of the arrow #between the parts F and G. The part F will then be disengaged also'in that direction. The above return free wheel clutch can be replaced by a secondstop I arranged atthe other side of the sto J, rising when the part G rotates in the of the arrow, and descendingand' consequently striking the stop J, when the part G.

has the tendency to rotate in lthe opposite direction. The two stops I and I can constitute a single fork which becomes disengaged fromthe stop J in th forward movement.`

'(arrow f),-and engages with the stop-J during the movement backward. It is obvious that this arrangement can be applied to 4the rection stop J instead ofthe stopI. During the part. The latter can be the driving part,

and G or F the driven parts. Like the previous construct-ions,this construction is'applicable to any of the clutch constructions described. It is obvious that The part F.

can be mounted loose on the' spindle R, and

the v'part H keyed to the same spindle. `The parts F- and I can be keyed to two separate spindles whi h have to drive each other, ar-

ranged end to end at a xed distance. The

driving part G can be arranged in the same ways as the par-t F, and conversely. All

thesecombinations are applicable tothe conf struction for rectilinear or any other movef ment, in which the spindle R hereinbeforementioned I represents the `driving or the driven part and can be'secured to- (or be inone piece with) the parts H, F or G. The.

disengagement 'is obtained by suitably alf-v ranging the stops. In the same way, twoor even more diiierentparts can 'be coupled.- The construction for optionalvcoupling and uncoupling by means of movable stops mentioned in the beginning `of this specification, can be obviously applied to "any of the constructions described, lncluding free wheel clutches, locking devices, etc.

The condition necessary for driving, eir-U plained in the beginning of-this`specica tion, can alsobe applied to all the const-ructlons described, clutches, lfree Wheelclutches',

'brakes or locking devices.

' Among. thel numerous applications for,

which can be used the automatic clutch cony struction described may be mentioned the followingz--L A clutch'for replacing cou-..-v

pl'ings and keys. 2. A clutch automatically disengaging in one direction. 3. A devicecapableof replacing free wheel clutches and the'like and capable of forming at Willa safetyapparatus for thereturn. 4. A safety device and automatic stop for hoisting apparatus. 5. An autonatic coupling for connectin'g-two engines. 6. An automatic coupling for connecting several engines or making possible by means 4of one engine to drive one or more parts leaving the latter'free to.

increase temporarily their speed (replacing differential gear). 7. Optional throwing into'. and out of gear coupling. 8. .Free wheelsy and fixed wheels at will. 9. Crank lfor starting'explosion and other engines, by

means of which the turning `back is avoided. 10.' Driving cranks of any kind for hoisting apparatus, shop front, blinds, etc., making it possible to apply the brake during the de! scent and thus forming a safety apparatus during the descent. 11. Locking device for nuts, bolts andother parts, etc. vI'claimzy ,1. .ln anautomatic clutch, two-relatively movable clutchfmembers provided with vopposite and equal surfaces,y coupling 'means adapted to be clampedbetween said members 'end carried by one of the sama-adrivo ing-member engaging said coupling means',

and means for moving said clutch-members r relatively to each other into and lout of clamping .connection with said coupling means.

2; In an'antomatic clutch, the combinai tion of a pair of relatively movable cams together forming, when in one position, a

groove of constant Width and when in an' other position ofvarying width, and engaging means withinl said groove, said means be-y ing of less than said constant width but 'greater than .the smallest varying Width of said groove.` a

3.In 'an automatic clutch, the combinationof a pair of 'relatively mov-able cams to- .'gether forming, when in one position, a

groove of constant width and. when in lan* other position of varying width, engaging #of less than said constant width but greater means withinv said groove, said means'being than the smallest lvarying width of said 1 groove, andmeans for limiting thel relative movement of said cams.

e. In an; automatic clutch, the combinei "tion of a pair of relatively movable cams together forming, when in one position, a" groove of' constant width and when in .an-

)other 5 position 'l of varying width, engaging means within said groove,-said means being of less than said constant Width but greater than the smallest varying Width of said, groove, and means carried by said cams for,

l limiting therelative movement thereof;

5.2111 an automatic clutch, the combina# i tion of a-pair'of relatively movable cams to, getherfor'ming, when in one relativel posif Leoncio ltion, a groove of constant width, and form' ing-when. in another .relative position, -a groove of varying width, engaging means within'said groove, said means being of less than said constant width but/greater than the smallestvarying width of said groove,

,an additional moving' part, and means yfor communicating motion between said additional part and said engaging means 6.- Invanl automatic clutch, the combination of a pair'of relativelymovable earns t0- gether jorming, when' in one relative position, a vgroove of constant width, and forlning ywhen in another relative position, a groove of varying width, engaging means within Said groove, said means being of less than said constant width but greater than the smallestvarying width of said groove,

an additional moving part, means for oommumcating motlon between said additlonal part and said engaging means, and meansy for limiting the relative movement between said cams. j

7 .l In an automatic clutch, two relatively movable cam members provided withf oppo site and equal pressure surfaces, forming between them a groove of variable width, said groove being of less width in engaging than in disengaging position, a drivingmember having recesses, coupling-balls in ysaidrecesses` and in said groove, said balls being shiftable inthe recesses, and of greater 

